1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle, and more particular to an electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle that can be folded in two and that, when folded, makes a motor inoperable so as to prevent the vehicle from inadvertently traveling as a result of the motor being turned on.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, two-wheeled vehicles mounted with a small engine have been common, but only recently have electrically powered two-wheeled vehicles that travel using a motor as a power source been proposed. Such electrically powered two-wheeled vehicles travel by charging a battery with a household power source and then activating a motor using the battery, and have attracted attention as clean, next-generation vehicles that do not emit exhaust.
However, there is a limit to the distance that such vehicles can travel with one charge of the battery, and therefore the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicles cannot travel long distances. Thus, it is necessary to load such a vehicle in an automobile so that it can be taken to a destination and then used there. In order to be able to load an electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle into the automobile, a foldable electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle has been proposed in e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-278161 (see p. 7, FIG. 1), in which the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle can be made compact by dividing a frame into two and folding the frame.
However, electrically powered two-wheeled vehicles are commonly based on the prerequisite that the motor cannot be activated when the frame has been divided in two and folded. When a kickstand is used in a traveling mode, i.e., in a mode in which the frame is not folded, the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle idles even if the motor is accidentally activated because the rear wheel does not contact the ground. However, when the frame is folded and the motor is accidentally activated, there has been the possibility of the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle inadvertently traveling because the rear wheel and the front wheel contact the ground.
Also, it is believed that turning the headlight on during travel leads to preventing accidents during travel, and therefore the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle travels with the headlight turned on. In the prior art, however, it has been necessary for the user to operate a headlight turn-on switch in order to turn the headlight on.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide an electrically powered twowheeled vehicle allowing for safety so that a motor is not activated even if a power key of the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle folded for transport or storage is accidentally turned on.
In order to achieve the object, according to an aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle using a motor as a power source and including a front part and a rear part, the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle comprising a frame that is divided at a substantially center portion thereof into a front frame part and a rear frame part; and a hinge portion that joins the front and rear frame parts so that the divided frame can be folded in two, wherein the frame is provided with detection means for detecting whether or not the frame has been folded at the hinge portion, whereby the motor is made inoperable when the detection means detects the folding of the frame.
The detection means preferably comprises contact points that are disposed respectively at two divided surfaces, the contact points being in contact with each other for electric conduction when the frame is not folded, the contact points being out of contact with each other when the frame is folded, with the motor becoming inoperable when the contact points are not in contact with each other so that the motor is not activated when the frame is folded.
The detection means may comprise a switch disposed at one of the two divided surfaces, the switch being turned on when the frame is not folded, the switch being turned off when the frame is folded, with the motor becoming inoperable when the switch is off so that the motor is not activated when the frame is folded.
Also, in the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle, a headlight and a taillight may be forcibly turned on when the electrically powered two-wheeled vehicle travels using the motor as a power source, so that safety during travel is improved.